Some Michigan residents saw lower heating bills

The Michigan Public Service Commission announced Friday that households that use natural gas for heating received lower heating bills. Nearly 80 percent of all Michigan households use natural gas to heat their homes.

The state says that temperatures were 4 percent warmer than normal between November and March, contributing to the lower bills. Natural gas storage levels were also higher than average, causing the prices to go down.

The state says Michigan is also able to store natural gas underground unlike most other states. That allows utility companies to buy natural gas in the summer when the prices are lower to save and use during the winter heating season.